Position Battles Indicate Much-Needed Change On New Orleans Saints Defense

(Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images)

NFL Training Camp is the first taste of competition that most football fans get before the new season starts.

Especially this year in New Orleans Saints training camp, where Coach Sean Payton will be trying to turn his team around from two very disappointing seasons that had average results from a team that most Saints fans believed to be an above-average team.

Some may attribute the unsatisfactory 8-8 and 7-9 records from the past two seasons to injuries, but it was obvious that the Saints shortcomings were the result of their defense, which finished last season ranked 23rd in the NFL in overall defense and 26th in scoring defense.

During the offseason, the front office did everything they could to turn things around by hiring a new defensive coordinator, signing several defensive players in free agency and using three of the four picks in this year’s draft to add depth to that side of the ball.

With this much change on to the defense, competition will be a major theme at this year’s training camp for the Saints.

With the exception of a few players, just about everyone on the Saints defense has a chance to either gain or lose a starting job, depending on how they perform in training camp.

Here are a few of the competitions that Saints fans should keep an eye out for once training camp starts on July 31:

Position: Both starting cornerback spots

Projected Starter(s):  Randall Gay and Jabari Greer

Other Competitors: Malcolm Jenkins and Tracy Porter

This group has been the blame for the majority of the bad play that has been forwarded by the defense. From injuries sustained by Tracy Porter and Mike McKenzie to below-par play by Usama Young and Jason David, this unit could not catch a break—or an interception—last season.

In order to fix this problem, GM Mickey Loomis signed Jabari Greer to a four-year, $23 million contract this offseason and drafted Malcolm Jenkins with the team’s first round draft pick.

Greer is expected to come in and utilize his five years of experience in Buffalo to snatch a starting job and Gay ended last season as the team’s starter, so he should enter the next season in the same role.

While Jenkins is not expected to come in and take anybody’s starting position, most Saints fans expect him to come in and have an immediate impact on the defense. So if he were to come in and relieve either one of the veterans of their starting duties, I doubt anyone will be surprised.

Porter, who accumulated 25 tackles and an interception before sustaining a season-ending wrist injury in the fifth game of the season, is also expected to put up a fight for one of the starting spots, as well. 

He came in as a rookie last season and earned a starting job after an outstanding training camp and preseason.  Saints fans shouldn’t be surprised if he does the same thing this season.

Position: Second Starter at Defensive Tackle

Projected Starter(s):  Kendrick Clancy

Other Competitors: Remi Ayodele, DeMario Pressley and Rod Coleman

With the Saints parting ways with both Brian Young and Hollis Thomas this offseason, the team now had to figure out who they will use alongside Ellis at defensive tackle.

Clancy was solid in this spot last season while filling in for the oft-injured veterans Young and Hollis. He finished the season with 34 tackles, two sacks and three forced fumbles.

Both Ayodele and Pressley are young players are young players with very little experience, so they will be expected to come in and play backup roles to Ellis and Clancy.

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